Truss



(No Model.)

L. B. STUART.

TRUSS.

No. 425,712. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

1': some PETERS c0.. mo'ro-uwa, WASHINQTON, n c.

the pad end.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI B. STUART, OF SEYMOUR, CONNECTICUT.

T R U S S SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 425,712, dated April 15, 1890. Application filed February 7, 1890. Serial No.339,604. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LLEVI B. STUART, of Seymour, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a newlrnprovement in Trusses; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying .drawings and the letters of refference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a top view of the pad and a portion of the frame; Fig. 2, a front view complete; Fig. 3, a side view of the pad, showing a transverse section through the frame and spring on line 00 0c of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section cutting through the frame above the spring and illustrating the adjustment of the spring.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of trusses in' which the pad is made elastically adjustable, the object of the invention being to give to the pad a universal adjustment as to position and a variable adjustment as to its yielding capacity; and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

In the class of trusses to which my invention is particularly applicable the frame is composed of two branches of wire united at In the illustration, A represents one branch of the wire frame, and B the other branch. These branches come together at the front end, as at O. This end or union of the two branches, as here represented, is forinedby a bend in the wire. The wire coming to the front end to form one branch A is returned to form the branch B- D represents the pad, which is of a shape corresponding to the position or special effect to be produced by the pad. On its outer surface is a U-shaped loop E. This loop is best made from sheet metal, the two legs of the U at their end being secured to the pad and so that the bend extends upward, the space between the two legs being in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the outer surface of the pad. This loop is set around one of the branches A orB, (here represented as 13,) and extends inside the other branch, as seen in Fig. 8. This loop permits the pad to swing on the branch B asa hinge, and the extent of space of the loop permits an up-and-down or lateral play of the pad.

To the frame a spring F is attached, here represented as by a bend G, embracing the two branches A B. The spring is elastic wire and extends from its point of attachment H forward to the position where the pad is to be located. The spring is curved outward, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and its extreme or free end is turned inward into a slot I in the loop E. The spring is held against movement in the direction of its length,but stands between the two branches at the pad free to be moved either up or down, outward or inward, the tendency of the spring being to press inward upon the pad and so as to turn it inward, as seen in Fig. 3, and so that the pressure of the spring bears with force upon the pad, but yet so as to yield to an outward pressure, which will permit a rocking movement of the pad on the bar B as a hinge;a nd as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3. The connection between the spring and the loop I forms a pivot on which the loop may swing to the right or left, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 2. The tendency of the spring being upward, it naturally forces the loop with the pad upward to bring the loop to a bearing upon the under side of the bar B, and, as represented in Fig. 2, turning the pad either to the right or left depresses the pad end of the spring, thus making such turning of the pad a yielding one, the force of the spring under reaction returning the loop to its normal position. The connection between the loop and the pad should be a pivot, so as to permit the pad to be adjusted laterally, as usual in this class of trusses.

To adjust the pressure of the spring, a slide J is set around the two branches A B over the spring, but so as to slide freely on the frame toward and from the point of connection of the spring. This slide is adapted to bear upon the outside curved surface of the spring. Consequently as it is moved toward the pad, as indicated in broken lines, Figs. 2 and 4, the spring will come to a bearing against the slide sooner than when the slide is nearer the fixed end of the spring, and thus will shorten the action of ;the spring to the extent that suohbearin g of the slide is brought nearer the pad. By means of this slide the pressure of the spring maybe adjusted to increase ordecrease the pressure of the spring upon the pad, as may be required. The universal movement and the peculiar elasticity thus given to the pad adapts asiugle truss to the relief of various cases in which, under the more general construction,a variety of trusses would be required.

It will be understood that the frame extends partially around the body and is provided with the usual strap to come to the front, and the front end is provided with a button K, to which such strap may be attached,

the strap and the rear portion of the frame not being shown.

It will also be understood that the loop with the pad may be inverted from the position represented in the drawings, as occasion requires, and as usual in this class of trusses.

, I claim v 1. A truss having the frame composed of two branches of wire A B, u nited at their front end, combined with a pad D, the U-shaped loop E, attached by the open end to the front of the pad, the loop extending around one branch of the frame, a spring F, secured by one end to the frame, distant from the pad, but extending therefrom toward the frame, its free end turned inward and seated in the said loop,

the said loop free to swing on the branch upon which it is hung forward and back or 1aterally, the connection between the spring and the loop forming a pivot forsuch lateral turning, the pressing force of the spring being both inward and upward, substantially as described.

2. A truss having the frame composed of two branches of wire A B, united at their front end, combined with a pad D, the U-shaped loop E, attached by the open end to the front of the pad, the loop extending around one branch of the frame, a spring F, secured by one end to the frame, distant from the pad, but extending therefrom toward the frame, said spring. outwardly curved, its free end turned inward and seated in the said loop, the said loop free to swing on the branch upon which it is hung forward and back or laterally, the connection between the spring and the loop forming a pivot for such lateral turning, the pressing force of the spring-being both inward and upward, anda slide J around said frame and over the spring, for the purpose of adjusting the pressure of the spring, substantially as described.

LEVI B. STUART.

lVitnesses:

G. S. HAMIELL, F. J. THOMAS. 

